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Previous years have given us a clear front-runner in the race for the best foreign language picture Oscar. There was little doubt that Michael Haneke would carry off the Oscar for Amour last year; Iran’s Asghar Faradhi was a shoo-in in for the prize in 2011 with A Separation.

But this year the competition is wide open, with five strong contenders.

Tom Brook profiles the films in the running. These range from a Cambodian documentary that uses clay animation to probe the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror in the 1970s, to a love story from the West Bank set against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This year’s contest for best picture in a foreign language is the first to take place under the Academy’s new rules for the category. In previous years, Academy members must have seen all five contenders in a theatrical setting to cast a vote, which limited the voting pool significantly. But this year is the first time that members can watch the films on DVD and vote, even if they haven’t seen all the nominated films.

The winner is anyone’s guess – but Tom Brook offers his prediction.

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